also: とうばい
wintersweet; Japanese allspice
A deciduous shrub (Chimonanthus praecox) that produces fragrant yellow flowers in winter. Usually written in kana or as 蝋梅.
See also: ロウバイ
The wintersweet is blooming in the garden.
Rare kanji spelling; the reading からうめ is uncommon. The plant is normally written in kana or as 蝋梅.
The name ろうばい (蝋梅) literally means 'wax plum', referring to the waxy texture of the flowers. The kanji 唐梅 is a rare alternate spelling.